Imagine it’s the height of the Space Race. The competition to reach the moon isn’t just about who builds the biggest rocket—it’s about who can capture the world’s attention with breathtaking images and live broadcasts. When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface, it wasn’t just the landing that made history—it was the iconic images and videos that made the moment unforgettable. In fact, it was these very iconic images and videos that saved the space program and turned it into a cause to celebrate. Without that, NASA may have withered away and never reached the moon. Think about that and let the power of images and video sink in for just a minute…

Fast forward to today, and businesses are in a race of their own: the battle for visibility in local search. Just like the Apollo missions, winning isn’t just about showing up—it’s about standing out with high-quality images and compelling videos that engage your audience and solidify your place at the top of search results.

From Google Business Profile (GBP) rankings to visual search trends and customer trust, images and videos are reshaping how businesses attract and convert local customers. In this article, we’ll break down seven key strategies to leverage images and videos for Local SEO success, along with the latest trends and stats that prove why visual content should be a top priority.

1. The Rise of Visual Search & How It’s Changing Local SEO

Why Visual Search is a Game Changer

With platforms like Google Lens, Pinterest Lens, and Bing Visual Search growing in popularity, more people are searching with images instead of text. Customers want instant, visual answers, whether they’re looking for a product, a restaurant, or a service provider.

Visuals also provide the savvy marketer with more opportunities to optimize their website presence and deliver high-power information to the search engines that just might land you that next big contract.

Why it matters: Visual search is becoming the new normal, especially for younger consumers.

How to use it:

• Optimize images with descriptive filenames and keyword-rich alt text (e.g., “best-coffee-shop-in-Chicago.jpg”).
• Use structured data markup to help search engines understand and rank your images.
• Add high-quality images to your website and GBP to improve discoverability in visual searches.
• Edit the EXIF data in your images and video for an extra competitive advantage that puts you a step above the competition.
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Example: A local bakery that uploads detailed images of its cakes with proper tagging and descriptions can appear in Google Lens searches for “custom birthday cakes near me.”

Stat: 62% of Gen Z and Millennial consumers prefer visual search over text-based search (ViSenze).

2. How Google Business Profile (GBP) Uses Images & Videos for Rankings

Why High-Quality GBP Images Drive More Clicks

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the first things potential customers see when searching for local services. Businesses with high-quality, regularly updated images and videos rank higher in Google’s Local Pack and Maps results. A great way to double dip on your video is to set up a YouTube channel for your business and post the video in both spots!

Why it matters: GBP listings with compelling visuals get more engagement, clicks, and conversions.

How to use it:

• Upload high-resolution images of your storefront, interior, products, and team.
• Add short videos showcasing your business in action (e.g., a stylist cutting hair at a salon).
• Keep images fresh—businesses that update their photos regularly tend to rank higher.
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Example: A local gym that consistently updates its GBP with new images of workout sessions, trainers, and happy members sees more bookings and walk-ins than competitors who neglect their profiles.

Are you looking for more new gym members? People that are new to a gym can sometimes feel intimidated and it’s actually comforting for them to see who the other members are and what they look like ahead of time. This can increase your sales simply by putting helpful information out there!

Stat: Listings with photos get 42% more requests for directions and 35% more clicks to their website (Google).

3. Video Marketing’s Explosive Growth in Local Search

Why Short-Form Videos Are a Local SEO Secret Weapon

With TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts dominating online engagement, short-form video content is more powerful than ever. People would rather watch a quick 30-second video than read paragraphs of text. If you’re in a position where you don’t have the manpower to do both, try using just video for a while.  It’s faster to create and just might give you better results.

Why it matters: Video marketing builds trust, captures attention, and increases dwell time on websites.

How to use it:

• Create FAQ videos answering common customer questions.
• Showcase behind-the-scenes content to humanize your brand.
• Upload short customer testimonials to boost credibility and social proof.
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Example: A local real estate agent who shares quick property walkthrough videos and home-buying tips on Instagram sees higher engagement and more leads compared to agents who only post static images.

Stat: Video content is 50x more likely to drive organic search results than text (Forrester).

4. Image & Video Optimization for Faster Page Load & Better SEO

Why Speed Matters for Rankings & Conversions

Slow websites lose visitors—and search rankings. Large, unoptimized images and videos can slow down page load times, which negatively impacts SEO and user experience. If you have a lot of images or video on your site, try one of the popular plugins that compresses your image files and embed your video instead of loading it directly onto your page.

Why it matters: A faster website = better rankings and higher conversions.

How to use it:

• Compress images using tools like TinyPNG or WebP format.
• Enable lazy loading to delay loading off-screen images until needed.
• Use a content delivery network (CDN) to improve image loading speeds.
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Example: A local e-commerce store that optimizes images for faster load times sees lower bounce rates and higher sales.

Stat: A 1-second delay in load time can decrease conversions by 7% (Google).

5. Local Landing Pages & Visual Storytelling for Conversions

Why Storytelling Through Images & Videos Boosts Engagement

People remember visuals more than text. A well-designed local landing page that tells a story through images and videos builds an emotional connection with potential customers. There’s no better time to start on this than right now.  As the internet evolves, you’ll see more and more content convert from the written word to images and videos. 

Why it matters: People remember 80% of what they see, compared to just 20% of what they read (Brain Rules).

How to use it:

• Use before-and-after images to show service results.
• Add 360-degree virtual tours of your business.
• Include customer-generated images on landing pages for authenticity.
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Example: A local home remodeling company showcases video testimonials and before-and-after photos on its website, leading to higher conversion rates.

6. Customer-Generated Images & Videos as Trust Builders

Why UGC (User-Generated Content) Drives Local SEO Success

People trust other customers more than they trust brands. Believe it or not, people trust other customers more than they trust you too! Encouraging your customers to share photos and videos builds authenticity and boosts social proof.

Why it matters: UGC builds trust, increases engagement, and enhances local SEO.

How to use it:

• Encourage customers to tag your business in their social media posts.
• Feature user-generated content in Google Business Profile updates.
• Create a branded hashtag to collect and showcase customer experiences.

Example: A local coffee shop promotes a photo contest where customers share their drinks using #BestCoffeeAtJoe’s. The best images get featured on the shop’s social media and website.

Stat: 79% of people say UGC influences their buying decisions more than brand-created content (Stackla).

7. The Role of Schema Markup & Image Metadata in Local SEO

Why Structured Data Gives You an SEO Advantage

Search engines rely on structured data to understand and index content properly. Using schema markup and detailed image metadata helps improve visibility in search results. Make sure you implement Schema markup properly by using the Google Schema tester before you post it, and walk away. 

Why it matters: Proper metadata increases image rankings and boosts SEO.

How to use it:

• Implement local business schema for GBP and website images.
• Add alt text and geotags to all images.
• Use EXIF data to provide location-specific image details.

Example: A wedding photographer using geotagged images and schema markup ranks higher for “best wedding photographer in Austin.”

Stat: Pages using schema markup rank 4 positions higher in search results (Search Engine Watch).

The Future of Local SEO is Visual

Just like the Space Race wasn’t just about getting to the moon but about showing the world how it happened, local businesses must go beyond simply existing online—they need to stand out with high-quality images and compelling videos. Businesses that optimize and leverage visual content gain more visibility, higher engagement, and increased sales. If you’re not using visuals strategically, your competitors are.

Need help optimizing your local SEO with high-impact images and videos? Rook Digital can help! Contact us today for a free consultation.

VP Digital Strategy, Co-Founder

Paul Gonzalez has over a decade of experience in the world of Search Engine Optimization, Lead Generation, and business development. As the VP of SEO Strategy, Paul helps develop cutting-edge SEO strategies and techniques to help businesses grow in an ever-expanding technical world.

Paul lives in Provo, UT, with his family and dog, where he does CrossFit, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, works with the Boy Scouts of America, and runs his own eCommerce websites.